Save the Dates are cards that go out to your guests well in advance of your wedding, letting them know just that…to save your date! While it isn't necessary to send them out, we do recommend doing them, especially if you have a lot of guests coming from out of town or your wedding is being held during a busy time of year. Here are a few things to know about Save the Dates.
When to send
Typically they are sent out 8 months to 1 year out from your wedding. If you have a lot of guests who will need to make travel arrangements or you are planning a "peak season" wedding, you might want to send them on the earlier side of that time frame.
Who gets them
Normally, we encourage couples to only send Save the Dates to people you are 100% sure you will be inviting. In Covid times, this rule has gone out the window. You still want to do your best to only send save the dates to those you are certain you will be inviting, however, with the regulations on guest count changing so frequently, it’s a little more challenging. Our best recommendation is to send out Save the Dates to less people than you plan to invite- an A and a B guest list is the way to go, where only your A list receives Save the Dates. Your A list can be a conservative total count which hopefully can increase to encompass your full A and B list once it is time to send your actual invitations.
What info to include
Your save the date should include your names, wedding date and city. Beyond that, it’s up to you! You can add text stating that an invitation will follow and we always recommend directing people to a wedding website. The save the date is a great way to introduce them to your website and direct guests there for more info, such as room blocks.
What kind
Save the dates come in all shapes and forms! You can do a simple single or double sided card or something more elaborate like magnets or coasters. We always feel like a simple card is the easiest and most reasonably priced option. It’s a perfect time to use a photo of you and your partner from your engagement session but just text is great too.
How to Address
With save the dates, you can keep it more casual than the actual invitations. You can still use titles like Mr and Mrs. but you have the flexibility to do what makes you conformable. Don’t forget to keep things clear so that the recipient doesn’t have to guess who is invited (ie if you aren’t inviting kids, don’t address it to the family, instead write Mr & Mrs.).